Parachute STEM Challenge + Weather Balloon Air Resistance & Engineering Lab 6–8
Turn a weather balloon mission into a hands-on STEM engineering investigation!
In this middle school science activity, students investigate how parachute canopy size affects descent time as they design, build, and test model parachutes carrying a weather-instrument payload.
Students begin with a short real-world reading about weather balloons and how meteorologists collect atmospheric data. They then build three different parachute sizes, conduct repeated trials, calculate average descent times, graph their results, analyze patterns, and explain how air resistance affects motion.
After completing the controlled investigation, students use their evidence to take on an engineering redesign challenge. They design and test an improved parachute and finish the activity with a Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning response.
This activity combines science practices, forces and motion, data analysis, graphing, engineering design, and CER writing in one engaging investigation.
What’s Included
9-page printable student investigation
Weather balloon informational reading and reading check
Experimental variables and prediction
Step-by-step parachute construction instructions
Three parachute canopy sizes for comparison
Repeated trials and data table
Average descent-time calculations
Student bar graph
Data-analysis questions
Air-resistance cause-and-effect model
Weather and atmospheric science connection
Engineering redesign challenge
Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning conclusion
Complete teacher answer key
Sample experimental data
Sample student responses
Section-by-section grading guidance
100-point grading system
CER rubric
Students test 20 × 20 cm, 30 × 30 cm, and 40 × 40 cm canopies while maintaining the same payload, material, string length, and drop conditions, giving the activity a clear controlled-investigation structure.
Great For
Middle school science classrooms, forces and motion units, weather and atmosphere units, STEM days, engineering design lessons, science skills practice, lab days, and hands-on enrichment.
Suggested Grades: 6–8
Suggested Time: Approximately 2 class periods; allow a third period if students complete the full redesign and CER in class.
